Droobles/Confusing Draughts (Re: Odds and ends)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 83516

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "annemehr" <annemehr at y...> 
wrote:
> About those Droobles gum wrappers, now.  True, Neville has "enough 
to
> paper [his] bedroom by now.  But, just a few paragraphs before, as
> Alice approaches Neville holding something in her outstretched 
hand,
> we read:
> 
> "Again?" said Mrs. Longbottom, sounding slightly weary.  "Very 
well,
> Alice dear, very well -- Neville, take it, whatever it is...."
> 
> Neville's gran does *not* know it's going to be a Drooble's 
wrapper. 

Jen: As someone who just spent a week trying to make an anagram out 
of Droobles Best Blowing Gum, I'd say any message in the name is 
very well hidden! (Jen waves to hermionegallo for getting her hooked 
on anagrams <g>).

But there *are* significant words that can be made out of the name
(several of these are from other listees): St. Mungos, goblins, 
bobotuber, dementors, muggle-born; you just can't get the rest of 
the letters to complete the "Aha!" sentence.

Annemehr makes a good point that its not just Droobles wrappers 
Neville receives, but different candy wrappers or possibly other 
pieces of paper. I agree this is more likely a hint that Alice is 
regaining some faculties and recognizing Neville.


Annemehr:
> Money laundering by the DEs! Or maybe it's one of the old family
> businesses that Lucius owns and one of the sources of his income? 
> It's certainly possible -- *and* a handy way to sneak into the
> population some of the Confusing and Befuddlement Draughts that JKR
> was hitting us over the head with just before Dobby tells Harry 
about
> the Room of Requirement (ch. 18).

Jen: What was *up* with that?!? I kept waiting to find out Sirius 
(or Harry) was being slipped a potion by someone:

"...where the wizard is desirous of producing hot-headedness and 
recklessness....Hermione said Sirius was becoming reckless cooped up 
in Grimmauld Place..."  then later:

"...moste efficacious in the inflaming of the braine...the 'Daily 
Prophet' would think his brain was inflamed if they found out he 
knew what Voldemort was feeling...." (OOTP, US, chap. 18, pgs. 383-
384)

The aura of tension, fighting, anger, and despair over Grimmauld 
Place & Hogwarts is the emotional fallout from the divisiveness 
going on throughout OOTP.

But could it also be LV invoking his brand of dark magic that is so 
similar to a Confusing or Befuddlement Draught? I've proposed this 
before, but re-reading OOTP hammers it home again--OOTP is the first 
time we're seeing the WW when Voldemort is back to "full strength" 
and we are also seeing a huge disinegration of the WW at the same 
time.

And Harry is the most strongly affected because of the "weird 
connection <with Voldemort>, which Dumbledore had never been able to 
explain satisfactorily." (OOTP, US, chap. 18, p. 384)

So, I don't know if it's in the Chocolate Frogs at Honeydukes, the 
water supply, or simply a power "Dumbledore knows not" <g>, but I 
think Voldemort is doing something overt to cause this disinegration.